Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity meeting, December 5, 2023
- When: Tue, Dec 5, 2023, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928505/video/891519818
- Transcript: full text (7,308 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity heard one public commenter, then re-referred an ordinance on veteran hiring preferences, sponsored by Alderperson Gilbert Villegas, to the Committee on Workforce Development. The main business was the first annual subject matter hearing on the Chicago casino compliance report, in which the CFO's office, the Department of Housing, the Department of Planning and Development and CDOT reported on Bally's design and construction diversity, Chicago resident labor hours, operations hiring, non-gaming spending at the temporary casino and plans for the permanent casino. Members asked about African American participation, professional services contracts, certification standards, ownership, public posting of data, transportation impacts and ward-level hiring data, and staff agreed to provide follow-up information through the chair. No vote was taken on the report.
Topics: Casino compliance report, MBE/WBE participation, Chicago resident hiring, Bally's temporary casino, Permanent casino, Veteran hiring preference, Public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 17:16 Amendment of Municipal Code regarding veteran hiring preference initiative and requirements, re-referred to Committee on Workforce Development
- 18:03 Annual subject matter hearing on the Chicago casino compliance report: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Emma Mitts (chair): Said she had advised staff to coordinate with other departments already doing outreach so casino diversity numbers can be improved without duplicating efforts. (1:03:29); Said there are lessons to learn from the temporary casino for the permanent casino and asked for revenue figures from the temporary casino. (1:06:22)
- Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Asked whether WBE participation by African American-owned firms is included in the MBE percentage. (26:49); Commended Bally's job fairs and workforce diversity but said African American participation in contracts at 16 percent is too low. (39:03); Asked whether professional services such as insurance, payroll and consultants are included in the diversity figures. (40:01)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked whether the compliance data will be posted online and updated quarterly. (53:24); Asked how CDOT will report traffic and congestion data related to the casinos. (54:25); Asked whether the city will track how patrons and staff, including staff with disabilities, travel to the casino. (56:57)
- Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Asked for specifics on the roughly 50 diverse suppliers Bally's contacted. (57:47); Asked departments to provide detailed information, including a breakdown of the approximately $40 million temporary casino build-out by contract. (58:44); Asked whether there is a specific Chicago resident percentage goal across all casino work and said he wants at least 50 percent maintained. (59:46)
- Stephanie D. Coleman (alderperson): Asked for a ward-by-ward breakdown of economically disadvantaged area hiring and of how many residents of each ward work at the temporary casino. (1:04:18)